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Retractable Leashes
Bailey's Story Nine Days Missing .. One Sighting
Can you imagine, for one moment, being in a new family? Taken away from EVERYTHING you know? .. the change can be overwhelming to say the least.
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EVERYTHING overwhelms your senses! New people, places & things!! New demands are placed on you .. sit, stay, come .. relax, enjoy your new bed & let me love you!!
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EVERYTHING can be foreign to a newly rescued / rehomed pet. As a pet guardian, YOU are responsible for introducing your pet to their new surroundings and keeping them safe!!
They rely on us to do this.
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This is the story of a family who did take extra precautions
They made one small mistake .. they bought a retractable leash
Bailey went missing in Welland Ontario. An area unfamiliar to him. Recently adopted from a rescue by a wonderful & loving family, he had become entangled in his retractable leash while traveling in the car.
Extra precautions had been taken.
A seat belt safety clip ensured he would be safe. However, the line from the retractable leash became entangled on the clip & around him so it was disengaged to free him. Just as they did this a loud noise startled Bailey & he ran!!! The sound of the hard plastic hitting the sidewalk behind him may have exacerbated his flight response as he disappeared into a wooded lot.
Due to other commitments & inclement weather, search efforts were delayed but my focus remained on one area near the sighting location.
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There are many reason we advise AGAINST the use of retractable leashes. Reports of traumatic injuries to owners & pets alike. Lost pets have lost their lives due to the use of such a leash. Strangulation, deep lacerations resulting in sepsis & actual amputations have occurred!! For Bailey, this leash could have resulted in a slow, agonizing death caused by dehydration, exposure and starvation.
On August 6, 2020, nine days after he had escaped, several volunteers met with me to attend the area that I wished to search. We made our way through the wooded area to a pond area. No evidence was found that Bailey had entered into the enclosure.
As we began to make our way further towards the highway, we began to hear the sound of a dog .. specifically a hound baying & barking. The cries for help stopped just as quickly as they had started. As I made my way closer to the mouth of the creek I could see the outline of what appeared to be Bailey!! Sure enough, there was Bailey up against the side of a chain link fence in the shipping yard of a company. At this point it was not known if he was caught up on something or simply just sitting there.
We quickly made our way out of the wooded area and to the shipping area, it became apparent that Bailey’s leash was entangled in tall weeds, his little body pinned against the fencing. Exposed to the elements in 40 degree heat. Had he been entangled during the storms that had gone through the area in recent days? We will never know for certain. I quickly leashed him & unhooked him from the retractable leash that held him tight, only several yards away from life sustaining water.
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Bailey was taken to a cool vehicle & provided with water while arrangements were made for him to be examined at a Veterinary Clinic near by.
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Bailey's story had a positive outcome. He was returned to his family safe and sound.
These types of stories involving retractable leashes unfold on a regular basis with less positive outcomes. We strongly urge all pet owners to refrain from purchasing them. They do not allow an owner to maintain care & control over their pet or provide them with the ability to react quickly should their pet be attacked by another pet or wildlife.
The only time they are recommended are for training purposes within a enclosed & controlled environment.
As a pet owner you have made a commitment to them to keep them safe and sound please be responsible. Please do your research on the use & hazards associated with the use of these leashes.
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